Trolley-catcher.



Gamen, lie county cfia 'ofjiiim have invented ce;

causing breakage., Psricuim-i iia'biiity of breaking ilse teeth upon il the disadvantages .iiciefi in devices ef i BEST Aviiiiiisis Speciicatioii of Letters Paient.

To @EZ whom may concer/,cli i r.

Be known that L lismmi., Ysfiigu', .zi citizen ci alie United Staies, residing' emi ,new and. rReim-i'ing i0 o'lloviiig is use'li'i impicvemenis' yiii ein... iiciieyCe-iclieis, sf which tlie a'fspecificaiisii.

vThis invention relates mining@ 'i'ciiey Espe mui, as t le'ioliey eiifl ci 'lie *smiley pole nieves up ami flown to adapt iisei io dileeii heights ci lie Wire., mid i0 catch and hcid the-paying cui device for iiie irellev rope when such paying out becomes rapiti as 'when the 'trolley jumps 4 Such mesas are commonly liiiown. :is ir-oiley caciieils. i

ffm prevent the unduly ieiji. payiiig cui .ci im weie impe9 iiy has lie-hiciere been jgiictice "ic pievi'ie al DE; whichE me Les rapid movemeiit oi iei'cp'e fiwily iocl?L the diiim' 90's More spec' v.c aiiy. the iicziue vhas compiisecl a Ciii" 'ffii' iti-ie ii" ff mpeiipoii which are mouii'eci ceniiigai ege 'wiiicli upon umili-ie spe-eci of sie iii-umg ii v Lily emi pic- "ieeiicis ci' 1 inside ci easing. The m i@ means fer mainn upon fdr-um, Venid siemens-ijf portion oifsieg,

sbiup, step tiieiieby seveiz if siiociziiiej sind.

'straining the pelis with die. iilieliiici-oi' is here a Nes iie pievi# ,ciieizicler and to this end a y'ieidiiig dev sli. iii'nes active is inciliiefi in. the

im.' #zapping iii@ Winding fi mim? Wi'ieiebjj i' impact ci .the paris 1s cusliicneci. inis slimii; iii nefacf n i 'yielding device 'is sncmi as eviigimaliyac cui: by eentiifugzil 'force with seid step *Co-cimeli tlieup'waird travel-coi' fori-ii in tile spleen. delais# 2 is a scctfioiicii ihefliiie' 2)-2 i.. .g a

COPY

j isiiieiiieii iiiiy'eiiieiii.

@ehem ber 3G,

Another object of'my iiiveiitinn is t0 piro- Vigie means 'which tendi ,retain elle 'centrifustcp glcg iii cciitirctwitlil a step/in the mechanism when. said dog-lies been'tlii'c\vn engagement lie iioihy polej7'- so that flieeafteignin the eveiii, the trolleypoleiebounds crismcved downwardly for anyi'easc'n, tiie latteiiclam'; rewiififliiig Vof thev tirolleyicpe -Gnihe rope dirmi? undef the action'foftheslaclifbsoifbing spi-ing9 will be vs ccempatiiieli? :ui efcii on the pzirpf said niemis'toiei-ain the stop ieg in the pliiii of said siepil 'illiis being; iiie case, vliciiji-lie ifeliouiidf offtlieiioiley el.; ,is coinpieizeri and the pole av .m sisi s tofmoe upwaiclly, 'the ceiiliiiugsl step. "dogill iiitions of parts hereieifeei" desc-"bed veiiicii., l have seis scribed one consten Figlie i. e. Weiticn'lVV secti an appel-mus eiiiboclyiiig' *i "the 'View beiiig on'tlie lineiiiifeiitieii, lof Eig. 2. Fig'. i. Fig. is seciioiipaijiglyii 'iie i-ine 3-.43 am?. paisiy ori tbeiine 3%3 effi B ig. ii pei'spective'v-iew ci tile iiaelie c'a'ry Viiiembei". Fig. 5 'is vsecii-o'ii 'View ing gilicfugli the dimm illustrating the manner of vG iiiiecxing the trolley iopeftlieifetfa-nd the which loci;I the diiim zigainsiifi'tm e impe.

iimi'upoii disconnection oiy Referring i@ tliedifawiiig@ tuefcsmg 1s L 'vertically e'iifi tlieiinfdl'ialvesi and inieci'filie i di iii'ee-liinisiii. bied the ces ig iles 'siivepeiiing fywii' llie troiiejfope passes e@ saisine liei" oy ef'beiii which also .that therefore in the position shown Fig. 2) the weight of the dog opposes thel When the dog-carry- 'ing member has turned through 180 degrees,l

ber 1 is provided with an inwardly extendingflange which, with lthe adjacent walls of the casing member 1 forms a circiular groove 50 extending concentrically to the axis of the bolt 3. l

4S, 49 indicate abutments arranged in and transversely of the groove 50. The abutinents 4S, 49 are preferably formed integrally with the casing member 1, andxtend inwardly from diametrically oppositevr sides thereof. The purpose of the groovefll and abutments 4S, 49, will be later described.

Upon one side or face of the drum 7 are mounted pins 10 and 11 on oppositesides of its center. Upon these are respectively pivoted the centrifugal dog 12 and its counterweight 13. The dog and counterweight are connected by a spring link 14;`and a spring 15, coiled about the pin 10 and engaging at one end with the dog 12 and at the other end with the drum tends to hold the dog 12 out of engagement with the teeth 45 of a member 44 to be later described.

Upon undue speed the force of the, spring will be overcome and the dog will engage with the ratchet teeth. The utility of the counterweight will be apparent when it is considered that the bolt 3 is horizontal ind see centrifugal force.

and the dog occupies thev position shown in the 'drawing as occupied'by the counterweight, the weight of the dog willV be added to the centrifugal force in producinga tendency for it to move outward..

IVith the'counterweight andthe dog linked together, as shown, their weights are bal-l anced at all times so that gravity has no iniiuence upon the dog, which responds solely to the centrifugal force. The counterweight might also be adapted to act as a dog but ordinarily one dog will prove suilicient. The link 14, being of spring material, the parts are not hampered in their movements as would be the case if this link wegre rigid.

The spring 26 is for turning the drum 7 to maintain the trolley rope taut as the trolley adapts itself to varying heights of the trolley wire. This spring engages at one end with the hub of the winding drum 7 and at the other end is secured to a segmental 4spring 27 which rests upon the interiorl of the casing. The engagement of one end of the spring 26 with the hub of the winding drum 7 lis preferably accomplished by-bending the end of the spring into a recess as is clearly shown in Fig. l3. The side of this recess against which the bent endof the spring is drawn whennthe spring is wound is at a somewhat abrupt angle with the bottom of the recess so that movement ofthe end of the spring in this direction is arrested. The other vside of the recess, however, is a'gradual incline, as shown, so that if the parts are turned. to unwind the spring, the end of the-spring will slide out of the recess and 'about the hub, thereby prevent- 'ing breakage of the spring in case an attempt is made to wind it in the wrong direction. The manner of securing the other end of the spring, namely, by means of the segmental spring 27 sliding upon the interior of the casi-ng, prevents the too tight winding of the spring.' If an attempt is made to wind the spring beyond a certain tension, the segment 27 will slide and prevent it. In some circumstances the friction-between the segment 27 and a smooth casing interior might be sufficient, but it is preferred provide teeth 28 as shown upon the 'casingiftig- .;l

in the recesses between which the projection 29 upon the segment 27 extends. Upon a too tight winding of the spring, this projection will be withdrawn from the recess in which it may be located and the segment gagement with the ratchet 19 by means of a spring 24 which is coiled about the pivotand has one end in. engagement with, the drum 7 while the other end is in engagement with the tail of the pawl, as shown. The tail of the pawl extends over a hole 25 in the drum. .This hole is key-hole shaped. that is, is wider at one end than at the other (the wide end being at the right hand in Fig. 5). The knotted end of the trolley rope may bepassed through the wide'portion of the hole 25 land the rope being then drawn into the narrow port-ion after the knot has been passed within the drum. the end of the rope is securely fastened to the drum by reason of the fact that the knot cannot pass through the narrow portion of the hole. Furthermore, the knot operates to Aelevate the tail end of the pawl thereby throwing its nose'out of e gagement with the ratchet 19.

The tooth or ratchet carrying member 44 is arrangedintermediate the dru1n7 and outer wall of the casing member 1. It comprises a ring 44 havinga wall 44 that is formed with a bearing opening 44h to receive the shaft 3, whereby the ring is loosely mounted thereon. At 45 the ring 44 is provided with an internal ratchet with which the centrifugal dog 1,2v is adapted to engage.

46, 47 indicate projections extending radiallyfrom diametrically opposite sides of glasses'r the member 44, and arranged in the plane of the abutments or stops 48, 49, on the casing member l.

and the projection 46 on theiii-termediate member 44. The spring 51 befof' lessi length than the distance between thefstop'fl 48 and projection 46 when the .intermediate member 44 is in normal position, as shown inFig. 2. The cushion spring 51 is adapted to buil or eushion'the blow between the intermediate member 44 and the casing 1` ber 44.

52 indicates a flexible device for maintaining the stopping means in operative relation or in engagement with each other during the rebound of the trolley pole after it.

has been arrested thereby. The device 5 2 preferably comprises a light, relatively weak coiled spring arranged in the groove 5() and between the projection 447 on the interinediate member. 44 and thel stop 49. The

' spring 52 engages the projection 47 and of am 'that the dos 1% stop 49 at its opposite ends and normally tends to maintain tlie'intermediate member in the position shown in Fig. 2, that is, with the projection 47 in engagement with the stop and the projection 4G in engagement with the stop 49.

As a result of the stopping of the trolley 'pole due to engagement of the' dog l2 with the teeth 45, the trolley pole may rebound slightly and cause slack inthe rope Dur- ,i -ing this rebound, the spring 26. exerting its influence upon. the drinn 7, rotates said' drum in anti-clockwise direction to take up the rope slack. As the spring 52 has been clockwise direction and thus tends to rotate or exert a pressureon the member anticlockwise, the effectief which is to maintain the dog 12 in operative position. relative to. the ratchet tooth itfengaged to stop clockwise rotation of the"druin 7. lt'wil'l ythus be seen that the stoppage means will remain in c'onditioiito immediately stop clockwise ,rotation of the ldrumduring the .re-. boundof the trolley pole, ;so" that when fthe trolley pole again swings upwardly itwill be arrested l`at once. The reboundof .the

trolley :.lOole occupiessuch na short interval of the spring 52 up'oiidtlie in mber 4 4, is not moved materially,n if at.a-ll ,=f`i'.omthe path e ilias left the overheadconductor and; the o i 'the spring in" the casing' l, that' its `that the springwill deliver when eXtra-ne be so arranged and constriictedas 'toV a .thatportion or* the groove' 50 in which the said spring isarranged, to taper" diam- Ying to the action' oit' the ratchet tooth and is thereforefrwfi TG trolley pole has been stopped lay-thea offthe catcher from further upward ti eilofithe trolley, `should the said polegengage vivith span wire, or any superstructure forthe overheadeonductoii andflia trolley end forced downwardly, the wi. drum 7 will, instantlyand freely act to wind up the trolley rope slack .and whenfrl'ge said trolley pole is again free to swing upwardly at its trolley end, such movement will be imas niediately stopped by the engagement voitthe dog l2 with the ratchet 4 5, which has been.. retained in readiness' for instant stoppage action. In this construction-.the spring 52 is made very light and' thin, it. being inas tended for the purpose'of eXerting pressure on the member 44 to rotate it', whereby the centrifugal dog l2 is retainedin the path of the ratchet 4during the winding up action of the drum-ft.; when a rebound of the trolley pole occurs, thus adapting the operation of the centrifugal dog vto act sub stantially instantly Aafter the rebound of the trolley pole, following tlievaction-olf- .the Vdevice in stopping the upward. traigel or' es theY said pole. As thespring 52is inteijposed between the intermediatemember 4 and casing and is compressed'by the action of the drinn stopping means, it serves as auxiliary means to the spring 5l in ,cusliionloc in"g the impact of thedog 12,* wlien ing; ing the ratchet 45. For this purpose found it advantageous to so make a pression will require several times the pl ing. that is, the spring 52 is intended'tojbcf strong enough or to have 'expansion 'toifcef' sutlicient only to maintain the dog l2 in engagement with a ratchet tooth. but' n:

the spring 5l in yieldingly' arrestingthe unwinding of the trolley coi-d l'nthe device illustrated. l have shown eter from the stop 48 tothe stop 49, so thai the 'compression of ths'pring 52 must bel effected against the rictional 'resistance ot the `wallspr said groovefQ'f'tothe vcomil sion of the said spring therealonggm Ine the spring isfree to expand from the' stop '49 toward Athe stop 4S.

Any suitableineans maybe providedd securing the appara tus to1a=c-ai",one.e otsu'ch means being indicated'as'an'en at 30. i if 221,1

In the operation or the catcher;-assuming that the slacleabsorbing spring 26 is nnwound, possibly the simplest lmanner of iso back and forth around the drum, bearing against the periphery 4of 'the drum. when pulling in the direction to wind the said spring 26, and easing up when pulling in the reverse direction. This is continued. until a clattering or chattering noise is heard which indicates that the segment 27 is slipping about the interior of' the casing. The loop :of the trolley rope is then withdrawn from the catcher and the lower knotted end of it isintroduced through the ropeopening and the cord is drawn back into the vnarrow part of said opening so as to throw the said knotted end'against the free end or tail of the pawl simultaneously swinging the nose of the pawl ont 'of engagement with the ratchet 19 and -releasing the drum and its slack absorbing' spring; the latter then acts to rotate the drum and wind up the desired amount of trolley rope upon the drum.'

lfixen the catcher is not in use and the trolley rope is removed, the spring 26Would quickly unwind, necessitating rewinding before it could be placed vin use, unless meansv 30 were provided for preventing. it. In the apparatus shown, when-,the linot of the trollevrope is removed from the hole 25 the nose 'o'.t the pawl 23 is thrown into' engagement with the stationary ratchet 19 "so that the spring is prevented from unwindino. When, however, the catcher is placed in serv ice, the pawl is removed from' the ratchet 19 upon the insertion of the knot of the trol ley rope beneath the tail of the pawl, then 40 the drum is free to move under the action of `the spring and maintain the trolley rope taut under the raising and lowering of the ltrolley i l"adapting itself to varying heights i olley wire. If, however, the trolley '1" the wire the drum would rotate te that the dog- 12 would fly outthereupon the drum'would be stopped and 'the trolley caught.

To those skilled 'n the-art of making apparatns of the'class described, many alterations in construction andwidely differing I embodiments and vapplications of my inven tion will suggest themselves, without departfrom the spirit and scope thereof. My Hdiclosures and the desciption herein are purely illustrative, and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. That I claim is: j Y 1. ln mechanisml of the class. described,

the combination. of a drum, means for rotating said drum in one direction, devices, having connection with saidi drnmA-for yieldingly stopping the vrotation ot the drum o 'when the trolley pole swings upwardly, and

engagement with the ratchet L15,-

Macnee anxiliary means cooperating with said stop-l ping devices for stopping the rotation of the drum. A

2. In mechanism olfv the class described, the combina-tion of a drum, means for rotat- 7o ing said drum in one direction, devices', having connection with said drum for yieldingly stopping the rotation of the drinn when the trolley pole swings upwardly, and normally active auxiliary means coperating with said devices for stopping the rotation of the` drum.

3. In .mechanism of the class described, the combination with a casing, of a drum, means for rotating-said drum in one direction to wind the rope thereon, means interposed between said drum and casing for stopping the rotation of the drum in rope paying out direction, and normally active nmeans for maintaining the stopping means `815 in operative relationship during rebound of the trolley pole. l i

4. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a. drum, means for 'rotating said drum in one direction, devices having connection with sa'd drum for stopping the rotation of the drum when the trolley ole swin s uwardlv and auxiliar ,means coperating with said stopping devices for stopping the rotation of the drum, the said auxiliary means operating to maintain the stopping devices in engagement during the rebound of the trolley pole.

5. vIn mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drum, means for rotating said drum in one direction, devices having connection with said drum for yieldingly stopping the rotation of the drum when the trolley pole swings upwardly, and means for maintaining the stopping means in engage'- 106 ment during the rebonndof` the'trolley pole.

In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a casing, of a drum,l meansfor rotating said drum in one direction to wind the rope thereon', and means 1.10

'interposed between said drum and casing for stopping the rotation of the drum in rope paying ont direction, the said'means including a rotatable member provided with ratchet teeth, a centrifugal pawl carried by 116 the drum and arranged to engage said ratchet teeth and a spring interposed between said member and the casing for cushioning the impact of the pawl when engag .ing said ratchet, and means acting on said 120 member for maintaining the stopping means m operative relationship during .rebound of the' trolley pole.

7. Invmechanism of the class described, the Icombination with a casing, of a drum, means for rotating said drum in one direction to wind the rope thereon, and means interposed between said drum and casing for storming the rotation of the drum in rope paying out direction. the said means lnclud- ,ieeeee f ing a rotatebie member provided with .ratchet teeth, a.. centr regal 'pewl carriedy by:

the drum and, urrnged to engage sei." ratchet teeth. andl e spring interposed be? v y tweenseiti member anni the easing; for cushing seid ratchet.

8. in niechenienr the dass described, the combinationwith i casing, or" e drum,

e :ineens for rotetirg seid drinn in one direc- .)tlon te wind. the rope thereon, ineens intere L .posea between seid drinn anti casing 'for stoppi'rig the rotation of the drum in rope A ti stopping ineens in operative -reiationshio during reoonn'i oi? thev troiie'y poie,

eiiitinent, of a tirnrn, ineen@ `for rotating drinn in one threotion to 'Wine the rope i stopping the rotation internal reto1 t teeth and e I; ri to engage the ratchet i m niternosefi between emotA proenfi Seid ahnt-nient 'for onornoning;

netti when *ig seid ehnnifm of the eines described,

' einige-spring interposed between said me jeetion end seid' ebiitment for vonfshioniuig the impact ofthe pafwi when engaglng said ratchet, moiineens eetingon said memberor mainteiningthe stopping means inoperetive reietionship during' rebound. ofv the trolley eerie,

il.v In mechanism. of the clase descrihed, the combination with a. casing erom-ded.

with. en ehntnient, of e drum, 'means ier roteting. seiei one 'direction to Wind.

v Y the rope tiiereon, neenefinterposed between segni drum :and ceeingior Stopping' lthe rotetion ofthe drinn inrone peyingout direc.n A

85 tion. the Seidnieeneineinding e)rontet'zfoie.

fioning the impact ofthe pewi when engeg'- e. in 'media-inemof vthe dass inscribed, Y mthet, and a Spring interpesedfbet Combination iritira. seeing' hei/ing en.

nenne interfoee'ri between seid 'ying' ont-direction, the Finding vroteftebie member i gai 'pziwi Carried vby member provided With interna-i ratchet teeth and a projection,,ft-centrifugal netti carried by the drum mici errengcd'to engage the ratehet and :L sp'iin "interpos'ed* between seid pronction anti said nhntment for cnshioniner 'the impact of' there-ivi.whenlengeg'ing said ratchet, and Ineens actingv on eaifcifmeinber for lneinteining'the 'stopping ineens in operetiYel reintionsh-ip during/reti@ iii' of the troiley pole, the si id,steneneinteining ineens hein-g piaceri nncier'ftension h, t of the cirinn. "i f2 l2. in mechanism of; he ciese-.deseriberh the combination with rtf cesinghzu-'ing e pair oispeeeri ehntlneirts,` ein drunig,nieens for rotating the irrt-1n in one direction to Winti the trolley rope thereon, n rotatable:member har-ing e ratchet-mnd peirgoi qaceri projections, n centiiingziipziwirerrieci by the drum and erraten ci: to2 envoye the. ratchet on seid member, e. spring in 'pose fhetween oneI oi" the casing ebiitrnents e'i'ifione oi eeiri projections on salici ineinherfior cushioning the impact ofeeid pewiwher ei'xgz'iging the en the other casing abutment i'ndthe otherepro jeotion for maintaining ie periti in einvertiren ment with the ratchet during rebound of the troiiey poie. f i *iff i3. in'inechan:

' escribe@ etiwith an pair of aid-groove, e rotatable drinn' one in "the tro'iie'yrope is Wound, Ineens forrototin 1 n in one direction, :i cent f @eine i emrieri hy the drinn, a rotated; fnierni r orcvicieci With e ratchet arranged; te i' ged 'by pewi when the rum fioteteset 'high/spew enti e pair of spaced projections, and. e pair of coiied springs 4mounted in the groove, 'each spring being arranged between one of seio abut ments and one oi sairi projections, one of seid springs acting to cushion the impact of pewi when engaging the ratchet and the other spring acting to maintain the pawi and ratchet in engagement during rebound "of the trolley poie.

In. mechanismof the dass described, the combinationof a casing formed with an annular grooye anni provided With a pair of spaced abutments errenged in Said groove, e, rotatable drinn on 'which the trolley rope is Wound, Ineens for' rotating the drum in one direction, e centrifugal porvi carried by the drum, e rotatable member provided with e ratchet arranged to be engaged by said 'pewi when the drumrotates at high speed andra -peir of spaced projections, and a pair i oi'v eoiied srgrings mounted'in the groove, erich vspringbeing; errange between one of seid ahnt-mente d' oneof said projections, one of saidspringe eating to cushion the impact ofthe ,paWl-'When engaging the ratchet and the other spring' acting to maintain the pewl and he' ton este x drum in one direction, a centrifugal pawl carriedl by the drum, a -rotatable member,

provided with a ratchet arranged to be enwound, means for rotating the drum 1n one .gaged by said pawl when the drum rotates at higli'speed and a pair of spaced projections, anda pair of coiled springs mounted in the groove, each spring being arranged between one of said abutments and one of `said projections and` operatingto cushion the impact ofthe pawl when engaging the 16.. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a casing formed with an annular groove and provided with a pair of spaced abutments arranged in said groove, a

I the drum, and means for maintaining the4 rotatable drum on which the trolley rope is Adirection, a centrifugal pa'wl carried by the drum, a rotatable member provided with a ratchet arranged to be engaged by said pawl when the drum rotates at high speed and a.l

pair of spaced projections, and a pair of lcoiled springs mounted in the groove, each spring being arrangedjbetween one of said abutments and one of said projections and operating to cushion the impact of the pawly when engaging the ratchet, one of4 said springs acting' to maintain' the pawl. and

described,

erat' ratchet in engagement during rebound of `by the pawl to stop therotation of the drum,

and 1 eans for maintaining the pawl in opposition relative to said stop during rotation of said drum in rope windingdirection immediatelyv following the rebound of the trolley pole.

18. In'fmechanism of the class described, the combination of supporting means, a druml mounted on said supporting means and adapted to have a-trolley rope wound on it and unwound therefrom, means tending to rotate the drum in one direction, a pawl carried by the drum, a stop carried by 'the supporting means and arranged to b e engaged by the pawl to, stop the rotation of In testimony whereof signature,

in the presence of. two witnesses.

. MELVIN A. YEAKLEY.

Witnesses:

A. M. MoCAR'rY, GnAonM. BELL.

ole, the last men' 

